They’re here … almost. The newest generation of workers—Gen Z, born between 1994 and 2010—are just about to make their workplace debut. Another generation? Already? But we’ve just figured out how to incorporate Millennials into our management style. How different can a new, not much younger, generation be?
Millennials, our first digital generation, are now entrenched in and redefining the workplace. So what’s going to change with Gen Z? What’s the same, what’s different and what’s really possible to anticipate?
Early Starters
Historically, it’s been hard to extrapolate what a generation will be like before entering the work force, but Gen Z is unique because they’re already engaging with their careers. Yes, as high schoolers. A recent study indicates that almost 50 percent of high school students have an internship or are volunteering in a potential career field. They grew up in a time of uncertainty—they’re the first post 9/11 generation, and they’ve watched the world struggle with economic downturns, institutional instability and depleted resources. They also had access to more technological resources and more exposure to people of diverse backgrounds across all divides.
The combination of these things has given rise to a hard working, focused, entrepreneurial generation. They’re focusing early on opportunities that will make them more attractive candidates later on. Unlike earlier generations, who often used their careers to find their life purpose, Gen Z is doing it the other way around. By finding areas that engage their purpose, they are more likely to have a more lasting commitment to their chosen work.
Gen Z is also smart. There’s always a lot of hand wringing about “kids these days,” but this generation is coming out of school with more knowledge and the highest test scores in history. While they’ll still have some struggles with soft skills that are honed over time, their familiarity and ease with social media and direct personal interactions will serve them well in a global economy.
That same ease can also make workplace etiquette and hierarchy more difficult to navigate. Eventually, it will mean the rules will change as to what can be shared as their lives outside work become more blended with their professional lives. In the meantime, having well defined jobs and pathways to promotion should help mitigate the transition, especially as the most motivating factor Gen Zers cite for working harder and staying at a job longer is the opportunity for advancement.
Full of Surprises
Recent studies of Gen Z have also yielded some surprising results. For instance, far fewer Gen Zers (28 percent) list money as a motivating factor than Millennials (42 percent). And while we think of them as the first completely digital generation, the real addicts are people in their 30s and 40s. They’ve seen the downsides of too much technology play out for the generations before them. The lack of privacy, the distraction, the disconnection—Gen Z is the first generation to see the full picture of how modern tech can impact our lives for good and bad. And it's affected them deeply.
They’re significantly more interested in face-to-face communication than their predecessors. In fact, 54 percent of them say that in-person meetings are their preferred form of communication. What they can do with technology is adapt to it faster. Their learning curve will be less steep and they will be able to use it more efficiently in the workplace.
Another notable difference is that far fewer Gen Zers are interested in multitasking than the Millennials are. Gen Z wants to use tech to accomplish their goals, but their goals are different. “I’m SO busy” has become a kind of prideful complaint for many of us. Gen Z isn’t looking to be too busy; they want to be able to balance and focus. Instead of a fast paced workplace with more disparate responsibilities, they want jobs in which they can focus more energy on fewer tasks. Lazy, you say? Nope. Research bears out that these proclivities are actually better for working. The multitasking we prize actually makes us worse overall. And worse, it has lasting negative effects on our ability to concentrate on a single task.
Tech With a Deeper Purpose
Gen Z is also more likely to want to use technology for a deeper purpose, one that helps them align their life goals with their performance. Even in the workplace. One of the most talked about trends at 2015’s SXSW Interactive conference was wearable biometrics that can track almost anything, from how long I sit at my desk to whether I exercised and what I ate.
Essentially such biometric measurements help this generation determine whether the lifestyle in this job is “working for me.” While current employees are not comfortable with biometrics, personal wearables that employees choose to engage with are going to be the norm with Gen Z. Devices that can help bring together and strengthen the disparate areas of our lives are not going to seem scary, but imperative.
Gen Z grew up in a world where the personal and professional are less compartmentalized. They know that exercising helps you focus, and focus means your work is more interesting and that being engaged at work means you’re a better spouse. They’re already keeping track of it on their own. Though they’re already comfortable with biometrics (the vast majority of 16-24 year olds believe that biometrics are a safer and easier way to access sensitive information and pay bills), to make these wearables relevant to Gen Z in the workplace, measuring won’t be enough. Employers will have to apply meaningful workplace purpose beyond just profit to the measurements in order to let Gen Z be the first generation open to this in a corporate setting.
Entrepreneurial Workforce
The most notable thing we know about Gen Z, however, is how entrepreneurial they are. Between 60 and 70 percent of them say they want to start their own business one day. While these numbers probably won’t bear out at quite so high a rate over their careers, we already see teenagers in the pages of Forbes and Money, driving charities and harnessing the power of easy access to global networks. Workplaces won’t have to change too much to tap into this goal. Having jobs that have some elements of visible leadership and offer opportunities to learn and expand their skills will attract the best in your Gen Z employees.
For employers, the idea of a new generation with new rules can be anxiety producing. But as long as we remember that every new employee is exactly that, new, then Gen Z will be bringing some wonderful new traits into workplaces very soon.
Matt Nagler is managing partner of BANK W Holdings and its portfolio companies—The Nagler Group, KBW Financial Staffing & Recruiting, and Alexander Technology Group. The firm has offices in Bedford and Portsmouth, as well as Woburn, Mass. He can be reached at mnagler@naglergroup.com.
Current Issue - May 2024